The Soothsayer's Keeper
by royalfortressmeadow
Summary: Edo Phoenix gains custody of his late friend's child, Tori Saiou. Lately, Tori has been the subject of interest of a mysterious Black Ops agency, and it's up to Edo to protect her. Meanwhile, Asuka tries to find the whereabouts of her dear friend, Kaiser Ryo, and only Edo knows the one person who can find the man who has him. Aster x Alexis x Zane
1. Chapter 1

**The Soothsayer's Keeper**

**Chapter 1**

Edo cautiously walked inside the empty arena, his right hand clutching tightly on the black suitcase he carried around. Edo looked around him, hoping to find the bastard that kidnapped _her_. Suddenly, he heard a frightened cry of a child. His eyes widened.

"Tori!" he exclaimed. He turned and saw Mizuchi Saiou's 5-year old little girl looking exasperated, her gray eyes flowing with tears. Behind her was a tall, middle-aged man wearing a black suit, and his hand grabbed the girl's arm firmly. Tori's eyes lit up with hope as she spotted Edo from the distance.

"Oniisama!" Tori called, her voice shaking in fear, "please help me!"

Edo clenched his fists tightly and took a step forward. "Let her go."

The man smirked. "We had a deal, Phoenix. Case comes first."

"No," Edo bellowed, "Tori comes first."

The man cocked a gun he took out from his side and pointed it at the child's temple. Tori whimpered. Edo immediately held out a cautious hand toward them.

"Hey now... there's no need for that," he said.

"Give me the case!" the man ordered.

"Put the gun down," Edo said calmly.

"Give me the case!" the man shouted, pressing the gun at Tori's temple, "_now_!"

Tori whimpered and cried. Slowly, Edo knelt down and placed the suitcase on the ground. Carefully, he shoved it towards the man. The case slid through the slightly polished granite floor and halted as it met with the man's foot. The man knelt down and opened the case. His face grinned as he met the sight of 1 billion yen, in stacks of crisp, 10,000 bills. The man closed the suitcase and held it by the handle.

"I've got to say, Mr. Phoenix. I never knew you had this much on you. This is a lot of money, even for you." He pointed the gun at Edo. "Sadly though, our transaction ends here."

"What about Tori?" Edo shouted angrily. The man smirked.

"The girl stays with me. Boss' orders. And if you know what's good for you, you'll let us go." The man kept the gun pointed at Edo as he and Tori walked away from the arena.

"Oniisama…" Tori cried, her small voice breaking and shivering. Edo looked straight in her eyes.

"It's okay Tori. Everything's going to be fine," he said.

The man who held the girl let out a dark chuckle. "That's right, Phoenix. It's always good to lie to children to keep them hoping." At this, the man pulled the trigger. Tori screamed and struggled as the bullet hit Edo on the chest and the impact threw his body backwards toward the ground.

"Oniisama!" Tori exclaimed, her tears gushing out of her eyes, "Oniisama!" she called again and again, desperately and fervently. The man yanked her closer to him.

"Shut up, you little brat!" he growled at her, walking briskly toward the exit. The man proceeded outside as Tori wailed and screamed. He looked around him, trying to see if there was anyone close by. Tori's cries echoed all around them. The man grumbled and faced her.

"Didn't I tell you to shut up? You'll draw attention to us!"

Tori ignored him, persistently crying and wailing. The man gritted his teeth.

"I told you…" he raised his hand over her—"to shut up!"- and swung his hand across the girl's face. Tori cried even louder.

"Damn it," he muttered, "how the hell do I shut you off?" he knelt down and yanked Tori closer to him. "Listen you," he began, "You belong with me now, do you understand? Edo Phoenix is never coming back! He lied to you, get it? So if you don't want to get hurt, I suggest you keep that mouth of yours shut!"

"One thing you should know about me," a voice called from behind. The man's eyes widened.

"I-Impossible!" he turned and saw Edo standing before him, with his blue eyes glaring with anger. Before the man could say another word, Edo jumped and tackled him to the ground. Tori backed away, looking overwhelmed. Edo raised a fist at him.

"I never lie," he uttered, delivering a hard blow on the man's face. Edo stared at the man for a few seconds, checking to see if he had truly knocked him out. He gave another punch just to make sure.

"O-Onii… sama…" Tori muttered from the side. Edo looked up and saw the little girl's face, eyes puffy and red, cheeks pale and wet. She ran towards him, and Edo caught her as she wrapped her tiny arms around him. "I thought… I thought… you were gone…" she said, crying on his shoulder. Edo hugged the girl tightly.

"It's okay Tori, I'm here. You're safe now," he consoled. Tori pulled away, and her eyes immediately fixated on his chest. The was a hole on his suit, right where the bullet hit him. Tori touched the wound.

"You're… you're hurt!" she said. Edo sighed and gave the girl a warm smile.

"I'm fine, Tori. I'm not hurt. See?" Edo pulled the side of his suit and showed her the bullet proof vest he wore for the occasion. "I'm okay. I wore a special armor that makes me invincible."

At this, Tori's face lit up. "Invincible?" she beamed, "Like Superman?"

Edo laughed softly, and he felt a lot better. "Yes, Tori. Like Superman."

Tori hugged him again, tighter than the last time. "I'm… glad…" she muttered, and her whole body lost its grip. Edo caught her sudden fall.

"Tori? Are you alright?" he asked, but there was no answer. Panic rose in his veins. Edo pulled her away from him and cradled her in his arms. "Tori?"

Her body remained lifeless, her eyes, closed shut. Edo cursed under his breath as he checked for any injuries. Her arm was badly bruised, probably from the grip of that horrid man. Edo ran his hand over her jet black hair, and when he pulled his hand away, he saw that it was inked with blood. His heart beat faster. He turned her head and spotted the wound, oozing out her blood.

"Shit," he muttered, and he carried her as he stood up. "It's going to be alright, Tori," Edo said gently, and he ran for the nearest hospital.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Here you go sir, the Classic Omelet with hash browns on the side," Asuka announced with a cheerful ring in her tone. She carefully placed the customer's plate in front of him. "Is there anything else I could get for you?"

"I'm fine, thank you," the man said with a smile.

Asuka nodded. "Alright then, enjoy your meal!" she left the customer's table and proceeded to the kitchen. Nearly half of her co-workers were taking order after order and zooming out of the kitchen to deliver them to each table. Asuka sighed. _Another busy day at the diner_, she thought, and she took out an order from the long line of orders above her head. She looked and saw three different plates in front of her.

"Here we go," Asuka said to herself, picking up the plate of hotcakes and sausage links. She glanced at the order again. _Table seven_, she thought, and she turned and pushed the kitchen door out of her way. She approached the table and saw a man with his back facing her. As she walked closer, she noticed his familiar layered dark blue hair, and signature black coat. Her heart started beating faster, and suddenly she felt nervous. There were a lot of things she longed to tell him, and he was right there, on table seven.

Suddenly the diner got too hot for her, as if their air conditioning malfunctioned hours ago and the place started to heat up from the Summer sun. What should she do? What should she say? Each step she took toward him made her want to run two steps back. Finally she was right behind him, but she could not utter any sort of coherent sound.

_C'mon, Asuka. Get a grip._

"U-Um… I-I…" she stammered, her heart hammering loudly in her chest. The man turned his head and saw her, and Asuka's cheeks turned red.

"Oh, I'm sorry… I thought… I thought you were someone else." She said, placing the stranger's order on his table. "Would that be all, sir?"

"Yes, I would like to order coffee, decaf please," the customer said. Asuka nodded.

"Coming right up, sir." She walked over to the kitchen, quite rushed. Once she got inside, Asuka heaved a huge sigh. It wasn't him. But her relief was short-lived. She still had no idea where he was.

_Ryo_, she thought to herself, _where have you gone off to?_

"_Oi_, Asuka!" Asuka jumped with a start. She turned and saw her friend and co-worker, Yuri. She tucked her short fiery-red hair behind her ears, and her blue eyes stared at her in suspicion.

"Yuri," Asuka breathed, clutching her chest, "gosh, don't scare me like that!"

Yuri wagged a finger at her. "Then don't slack off on the job. This isn't your break, you know."

Asuka smiled back. "I know, Yuri. I was just taking a breather. Hey, um… do you mind if you got a decaf coffee for table seven?"

Yuri furrowed her eyebrows. "Do it yourself! I've got another order I'm waiting on, see?" she showed Asuka the order in her hand.

"Great, thanks!" Asuka said, yanking the order from Yuri.

"Hey!" Yuri exclaimed.

Asuka looked at the order and took the plate that matched with it. "Sorry, Yuri. But you _really_ have to take that one. Please?"

Yuri stared at her for a moment. "What's up with you and table seven?"

"Nothing," Asuka said, "I just don't handle coffee well." she hurried out the kitchen, pushing the door open.

"Hey wait a minute-"

"Remember, decaf!" Asuka called as she walked away. _And that's that,_ she thought, sighing again. Asuka glanced at the new order. This customer was at the bar area, seat three. She approached the bar and saw a man in a black shirt. His silvery hair fell on the sides of his face, which covered his eyes from Asuka's line of sight. It looked like the man had quite a long morning—or night— judging from the muddy black shoes and the somewhat tattered clothing. As she got closer, he turned his face toward her and she immediately recognized him.

"Edo?" Asuka called.

Edo's face lit up in mutual recognition. "Asuka! Wow, it's been a while!"

Asuka nodded with a big smile. Edo's body visibly relaxed. "I didn't know you worked here."

"I didn't know you'd even go here," Asuka teased, "I mean, shouldn't you be in some snooty Italian place or something?"

Edo laughed. "I don't have to go to expensive places all the time, Asuka. And besides, I'm hungry and this is the closest food place on the block."

"Well then here you go," Asuka offered, placing his order in front of him.

"Thank you," Edo said, "I'll be sure to give you a generous tip for your kindness."

Asuka giggled. "That's a really nice gesture, and thank you. Would there be anything else for you today?"

"Nothing else, thanks. Although I'm still waiting for my take-away order."

Asuka nodded. "Alright, no problem. I'll see to it that it gets to you soon. Enjoy your steak, Mr. Phoenix."

Edo chuckled at the formality.

"Be right back," Asuka said, turning her heel to walk to the kitchen. At the kitchen, Asuka glanced quickly at each of the orders, looking for the order number that came immediately after Edo's. _There!_ She declared to herself proudly. Asuka took it out from the order line and examined it. "Fish sticks and a chocolate milkshake… the kid's meal?" she furrowed her eyebrows, puzzled. It's been ten years since she last saw him… did he have a kid now? Although, if he did, the tabloids would've reported it to the public a long time ago…

Asuka shrugged. _Whatever. None of my business…_ She took the box of fish sticks and the milk shake and placed it all in a bag. She added a fork, a couple of napkins, and a straw. With a single neatly packed bag in hand, Asuka walked out of the kitchen.

"Here you go, Mr. Phoenix," she said with a warm smile, presenting the bag she had prepared for him.

Edo took it from her. "Thank you, Asuka," he said, "and you don't need to call me that."

"I know," Asuka giggled, "just let me have my fun."

Edo smiled. Asuka's humor was a breath of fresh air to him. Last night he lost a billion yen, got shot, and got his friend's child admitted to the hospital a few blocks away. He could have saved the money, but the sight of Tori's lifeless body and that nasty wound at the back of her head made him forget about the billion yen. He was only able to remember when he got to the hospital. Still, the money was the least of his worries. He had sat in the room, beside the lifeless Tori hooked up in who-knows-what, and had patiently waited for her to wake up. He had probably dozed off for a couple of hours—he didn't really know. But what he did know was that the next time he opened his eyes, Tori was still unconscious, and his stomach needed a major refill. He had surveyed the hospital cafeteria and decided he wasn't going to indulge himself in something less than edible. And so, here he was, at the diner across the street, talking to an old friend he hadn't seen in nearly 10 years.

Asuka looked more or less the same than when he last saw her. Her golden blonde hair had the same cut and style, her bangs aligned the same way. Her frame was quite similar from before, except that she looked more mature, more lean, more… woman. Her skin was tanner than 10 years ago, and she seemed to grow about an inch taller. But what struck him the most was that silver locket she wore around her neck. The locket was a heart-shape, with a nicely painted butterfly in the front of it, flying away from a single branch of a bush. It looked beautiful around her neck.

"That's a really nice locket," Edo said, "where did you get it?"

Asuka's usual smile faded as she clutched the trinket tightly with her right hand. "It's from Kaiser," she replied.

Her immediate change in aura made Edo wonder if bringing this up was such a good idea. "Oh, I see…"

"I collect lockets. I really like these things… So he bought me one for my birthday. He disappeared a year ago… but before that, we were together a lot."

Edo cocked his head to the side. "A year ago? That's quite a coincidence, don't you think?"

Asuka furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Edo cut up his steak coolly. "The Underground duels," he said off-handedly, "they shut down a long time ago, but they got back into operation last year."

Asuka clenched her fists. She couldn't believe what Edo was suggesting. "Ryo is done with those duels!" she exclaimed fervently.

Edo didn't even wince at the sudden outburst. "Hey, I'm just saying," he said with his hands held up in surrender, "and like I said, it might just be a coincidence, and nothing more." He turned and placed his fork on a cut-up steak and placed it in his mouth.

Asuka gritted her teeth. She stood there, frozen, wondering if there was some connection between the Underground duels' re-opening and Kaiser's disappearance. _It must be just a coincidence, just like Edo said… Ryo would never go back to that… he told me so…_

She turned away sadly. "I'm just trying to find him now… I've been hoping he'll just come back home one day. I just don't know where else to go, where else to look for him. I don't have any leads at all… he's been off the radar for a year, and even the police can't find him. His whole family is worried."

Edo nodded from time to time, but kept eating the pieces of steak he had cut up on his plate.

"The only thing keeping us from thinking he's dead are the letters he sends to his folks," Asuka continued, "There was no address anywhere, so we know it's being dropped off directly to his house. But despite the stakeouts and investigations, we couldn't figure out how the letters get to them, or who delivers them."

"That's strange," Edo said, taking his glass of water and drinking some.

Asuka nodded in agreement. "There's no indication in the letters as to where he is or what he's doing… Just that he's okay."

Edo placed his knife and fork on the side of his plate and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Well, in any case, maybe you can start by investigating the Underground duels."

Asuka folded her arms. "I told you, Ryo is-"

"—I know what you said," Edo interrupted, getting up from his chair, "but it's a place to start. You have no other leads. And also, I have a calling card of a guy who's part of that system, if you're interested. Long story. Don't ask." He brought out his wallet and took out a few yen-bills. "Well, it was nice seeing you again, Asuka." Edo said, placing the bills on the table, "Enjoy the rest of your day." Then, he took the bag of take-away food, turned his heel and headed for the cashier counter. The old lady from behind the counter smiled sweetly as she saw Edo approach her.

"Find everything alright today, Mr. Phoenix?" she asked.

Edo smiled back. "Yes, I did. The service was great, and the food was filling," he said as he presented the money he owed on the counter.

"Well, I'm glad you came here to dine with us, Mr. Phoenix," the lady said, "It's not every day we get to serve someone of your status." She gathered the money, counted it, and opened the register in front of her.

Edo smirked. "Actually, this is a nice change," he admitted, "I got to spend a whole meal without someone asking for my autograph."

The lady laughed at the remark, and graciously gave him his change. "Well, this _is_ the edge of Domino. We're a pretty shy bunch compared to you city folks."

"Well, thank you for your hospitality," Edo said, keeping his change.

He felt his pocket vibrate. Edo instinctively dug his hand in his pocket and brought out his phone. _Doctor Nohime calling… _With a final smile at the lady, Edo bade goodbye and exited the diner.

He took his phone from his pocket, pressed the call button, and placed the phone by his ear. "Edo Phoenix speaking."

"Mr. Phoenix, this is No from the Mitama hospital," the woman on the other line said, "Ms. Saiou has woken up. She refuses to tell us anything about her condition unless you're here, but her vitals tell us she's fine."

"Okay, I'll be right over," Edo said, "Thank you, doctor." he hung up the phone and hurried to cross the street.

"Wait! Edo!"

Before he could cross, he stopped and turned his head—and saw Asuka running toward him, with her apron in her hand.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Kaiser was a lot of things. Some good, some bad, some rumors, some facts. But there was one thing Asuka knew for certain: he would never break a promise. She trusted his word, for the sake of their childhood friendship and their current one, two different relationships before and after his life as Hell Kaiser. She always came to the Marufuji residence while Ryo had been ill. Asuka remembered the first time he saw her again after his conversion back to the good ol' Kaiser. It was during one of his check-ups, and her brother Fubuki volunteered to give him a ride to the hospital. When they were done, Kaiser was pleasantly surprised to see her at the waiting room, smiling cheerfully at him with a box of chocolates in her hand. There was a card stuck on it, which read, _Ryo, get well soon_.

They rekindled their friendship that day, and shortly thereafter, Kaiser was able to recover from his condition. For the first time in a long time, he was able to stand on his own two feet, no longer needing a wheelchair to take him around.

And it was back to the way it was, those _good ol' days with the good ol' Kaiser_, or so she called it. The laughs, the smiles, the _life_… everything she had hoped for him had returned.

And he promised her that night outside her balcony, when he held her hand and kissed her lips, that he was never going back to the way he was again, for the sake of their new love and future happiness. As proof of this, he presented her with a gift—a silver, heart-shaped locket, with a butterfly imprinted on the front, flying away from a bush.

"_I am that butterfly," _he had said,_ "flying away from my old life, and flying over to you."_

Asuka sighed at the thought. _Keep this, as a reminder of my promise_. And now, he was gone. He had flown away again.

She had lied to Edo. She didn't collect lockets, and she never really liked them as much as she told him she did. Kaiser didn't give her the necklace for his birthday… It was on their anniversary.

It was devastating for her to hear that Kaiser had gone missing. Days turned to months, and here she was presented with the only lead she had on her lost love.

Underground duels.

As much as she hated it, even the mere possibility of a link between Kaiser and his old habit, she had to investigate. It was her first lead in a while—no, it was her first lead _ever_. After a year of not knowing, Edo Phoenix has finally offered her a chance to know what happened.

And that was good enough for her.

Taking off her apron, Asuka ran and headed for the door. Yuri turned her head and saw her co-worker rushing past her.

"And just where do you think _you're _going?" Yuri demanded.

Asuka turned briefly. "Tell them I'm clocking out. Here—" she tossed Yuri her employee ID—"just give it back to me when I see you again. I have to go."

* * *

"Wait! Edo!"

She ran toward him as Edo turned his head to see who had called his name.

"Asuka," Edo called, "What's wrong? Did I forget something?"

Asuka stopped to catch her breath as she caught up with Edo. "The—card," she panted, breathing frantically from her mouth. "Please," with an exhale, she mustered altogether: "I need it."

"Sorry, Asuka," Edo said, and she was surprised at the seriousness of his tone, "but I don't have it on me right now. I have to go."

He turned and walked away. Edo walked briskly toward the Mitama hospital—and heard faint footsteps following close behind him. Edo turned his head.

"Asuka? Are you… following me?" Edo asked in disbelief.

"I need that calling card," Asuka stated, walking with him. He arched an eyebrow at her. "Do I need a restraining order?"

Asuka stared at him straight, with a serious, desperate look on her face. "Don't worry. I'll just stick around until you give me what I want."

Edo smirked as he continued walking. "Wow, you seem pretty hung up with finding Kaiser. Does he owe you money or something?" he teased. Asuka narrowed her eyes.

"Shut up."

Edo approached the hospital's entrance and pulled the glass door open. "Why are we here?" he heard Asuka question as they walked inside. Edo and Asuka continued to walk until they reached the elevator. "To deliver a kid's meal," he said.

* * *

There was a knock on the door. Tori turned her head and watched it swing open slowly- only to reveal a familiar man walk inside the room, with his warm smile filling her with relief and joy. His blue eyes widened upon seeing her finally awake, and in her own way, Tori can tell he was overjoyed. But, as always, he remained calm and collected, his composure unmoved.

"Hey there, kiddo," Edo greeted softly.

Tori beamed. "ONIISAMA!" her smile almost reached the sides of her face. "You're back!"

Edo approached her and sat on the side of her bed. "I got you something," he said, showing her the brown bag.

Tori gasped. "It's fish sticks and a milkshake! Thank you, Oniisama!" she grabbed it and eagerly took out her food.

Edo looked at Tori curiously. "How did you know what I was getting you?" She opened the box, took a fish stick and bit off a small chunk.

"I dreamt it while I was sleeping," she said.

_That's one pretty accurate dream_, Edo thought. Tori scarfed down her first fish stick in a matter of seconds. Taking a quick pause, she took a sip off her milkshake and noticed the girl who had just came in. "Who is she?"

Edo glanced at the direction. "Her name is Asuka Tenjoin," he told her, "She's a friend of mine."

Asuka smiled at her. "Hi."

"Hi!" she said gleefully, then faced Edo again. "You always bring over pretty friends, Oniisama!"

Edo flushed at the remark. Asuka folded her arms and stared at Edo in mild amusement.

"I… better check with Dr. Nohime." He said, standing up, "Be right back."

Edo opened the door and left the room, finding Dr. No right outside, checking with a nurse on X-ray scans. He waited patiently as the two ladies conversed in medical language. Finally, the nurse nodded and turned to leave. Dr. No faced Edo.

"Mr. Phoenix," she said, propping up her glasses a little closer to her eyes, "So you've seen Tori?"

"Yes I did," Edo replied, "and she looks like she's back to normal."

Dr. No nodded in firm agreement. "She showed no red flags on her scans."

"That's good," Edo said, "How's her head?"

"It's healing well, although she needs plenty of rest to recover fully from her head trauma. Replace her gauze every four hours. If she complains of any pain at all, give her a tablet of ibuprofen. She should be fine."

"Thank you, Dr. Nohime."

Edo proceeded back inside the room. "Tori," he called. He closed the door and turned his head. "We're going-" He saw Asuka sitting by Tori's side, making different contorted faces while Tori laughed at her. Asuka stopped mid-face contortion upon spotting Edo's presence in the room. She smiled at him sheepishly. "Erm… you're back," Asuka said, a hint of embarrassment in her tone.

"Yeah…" Edo said, his voice with a twinge of uncertainty and amusement. "Dr. No said we can go home now."

Asuka beamed. She faced Tori with an excited smile. "You heard that Tori? You're going home!"

"Home?" Tori repeated, sounding a little nervous.

Edo approached the chair where he left his suit jacket and tie. "Yeah, kiddo. Our home. What's wrong?" he asked as he took his hung clothing.

Tori shook her head. "Nothing, Oniisama." She sounded like her parent just gave her a duty she knew she must fulfill regardless of what she wanted.

"Oh c'mon, Tori, lighten up," Edo said, nudging her on the shoulder, "my house isn't _that_ bad."

Tori nodded slowly. "Yes, Oniisama."

Asuka smirked. "Do you guys live in a box or what?"

"I don't know what's wrong with her," Edo said, "she loves staying in the house."

"Nothing's wrong, Oniisama," Tori answered dutifully, setting her blanket aside. "Let's go home."

* * *

Edo raised his arm again, for the third time, to hail another cab passing by. Asuka held Tori's hand to keep the little girl from walking around.

"So where's your limo?" Asuka jeered, witnessing the cab ignore Edo's hailed arm.

"Didn't bring'em," Edo replied, ignoring Asuka's sarcasm, "gas prices have gone too high up for me to take that around."

Asuka almost balked at his statement. "Gas prices? _Really?_ Someone like you is worried about _that_?"

"Let's just say I lost a lot of money in a day," Edo admitted, finally hailing a cab successfully.

The cab stopped by the street walk where they stood. Edo opened the door and ushered them in. Asuka went in first, then Tori. Then Edo hopped in and pulled the door shut.

"Domino Bay please," Edo said.

"Yes sir," the driver replied, driving away.

Edo glanced at the little girl beside him, who had an unreadable expression on her face. She placed her hands right by her ears and pressed tightly, muttering something Edo couldn't quite hear.

"What's wrong, Tori?" Edo asked, but Tori only shook her head in reply. Asuka pursed her lips, equally as puzzled.

"Is this… normal for her?" she asked.

Edo shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't read her manual." Tori seemed to ignore their comments and continued mumbling.

Asuka cleared her throat. "So… is she… yours?" she asked cautiously, "I mean, I know she calls you _oni_-sama, but still."

Edo chuckled. "Biologically, no, she's not… but legally, she might as well be," he looked up at Asuka. "You remember Saiou?"

Asuka nodded. "Takuma Saiou? Your manager?"

"_Ex_-manager," Edo corrected, "He… got involved in things he shouldn't."

"Oh…"

"But… well, Tori is his sister's daughter."

Asuka cocked her head to the side in wonder. "A sister? I never knew that."

Edo looked at Tori again. "Her name is Mizuchi Saiou," he said, placing a loose hair behind Tori's ear. "She died three months ago. I was called by her lawyer to pick up a possession of hers, according to her will… little did I know that the lawyer was referring to the legal custody of Tori."

Asuka's eyes widened. "Mizuchi wanted you to adopt her daughter? But… you aren't even family!"

Edo nodded and looked back at her. "Yeah. It's a mystery to me, too. I just assumed that if this is what she thinks is best for her daughter, then… it had to be done."

"Wow," Asuka said, sounding a little overwhelmed, "So how did you take it?"

Edo shrugged. "Well, I've been visiting Tori a lot when she was younger, so I got to know her, and really, I've grown fond of her… but kids are still kids, you know? And I'm…" his sentence trailed off, trying to find the right word to describe himself.

"… a young man at his prime?" Asuka suggested with a hint of tease in her tone.

Edo grinned. "Yeah, I guess you could put it like that." Asuka giggled. A young man at his prime, indeed. Edo had probably gone through a second growth spurt, since he was much taller than she last remembered him. His black collared-shirt accentuated the muscles on his lean frame. His smooth, layered hair was about the same length as the last time she saw him, and his bangs fell perfectly on the sides of his face.

"In any case, Tori's been a good kid," Edo continued, "It's only been 3 months, and there's been rough times, of course, but… I already feel this need to give her everything."

Asuka's heart gushed at the remark. "That's the sweetest thing I have ever heard," she mused with a smile, "She's your daughter now."

Edo never really thought of Tori as his daughter—more like her guardian. And no one really brought it up this directly. But thinking about it now, he realized his instincts to protect her and care for her were more of a father's than anything else. The thought took him by surprise, the realization overwhelming him a little. How could he have a daughter? At his age, he shouldn't be sitting at home cooking meals, changing clothes, being a dad. And having a kid by his side, well—he couldn't help but admit that it gave him some trouble with a couple of women, and scheduling conflicts with the league. And it's only been three months. He knew he wasn't ready for child rearing, but, he thought, perhaps it was destiny working in mysterious ways.

"We're here, sir," the cab driver said, "at Domino Bay. Where would you like me to stop?"

Edo scanned the area to see where they were. "Turn left at the light, then stop at the gate in front of house 5415."

As the cab drove closer to the house, Asuka couldn't help but notice the neighborhood's huge-acre houses. Almost every block had houses with a patio area, small fences surrounding their larger-than-life frontyard, and a 3-car driveway that can fit six cars aligned in two rows and three columns. Ahead of them in the horizon was the beach, with the night waves washing over the sand in that familiar cyclical pattern. Finally, the car slowed down and eventually came to a full stop. Asuka looked to her right. This house was the biggest one she'd seen around the neighborhood, and the only one with a huge 10-foot metal gate at the front. Asuka's eyes never left the house as she got out of the cab. The yard had a smooth, granite pathway leading to the front door. On the edges of the pathway were freshly cut bushes. Over to the side, Asuka could see a beautiful fountain with a majestic statue of an angel pouring water into it. Beds of purple aster surrounded the fountain, blooming brightly in the moonlight. _Purple aster_, Asuka thought with a smile, _those are my favorite_.

Edo walked over beside her. "Not bad, huh?" he grinned.

"And I wonder why Mizuchi left you her daughter's custody," Asuka said with a shake of her head.

Edo smirked, but said nothing. He went over to the side of the gate and punched in a code. The gate opened slowly inward. "Welcome home, Master Phoenix," a male British voice from the tiny speaker in front of Edo greeted. Edo pressed the red button on the side. "Thank you Benson. We've got company. On our best behavior, please."

Edo, Asuka and a mumbling Tori proceeded inside.

"You have a butler?" Asuka asked in disbelief.

"I'm guessing you didn't watch the E! True Duelist story special on me." Edo teased.

Asuka rolled her eyes. "No offense, but I'm not one of your fan girls."

As they approached the house, the front door opened and revealed the man Asuka assumed was Benson, a tall, old fellow in his early 40's, wearing a black butler uniform.

"Good evening Master Phoenix, Miss Saiou," Benson said, and then looked at Asuka. "and the lovely Madame," he finished.

"Good evening Benson," Edo said, walking inside. He waved his arm to Asuka's direction and said, "This is Asuka Tenjoin, an old friend of mine. Make sure she feels welcome."

As they proceeded inside, Tori's mumbles got louder. Asuka pursed her lips. She turned and saw Edo placing his suit jacket and tie on the sofa.

"Um, shouldn't we do something?" Asuka whispered softly but loud enough for Edo to hear. Edo looked and saw Asuka pointing at Tori, who still had her hands covering her ears.

Edo sighed. "I don't know what she's doing. Probably some game. She'll stop sooner or later." He turned and proceeded upstairs. "Let me find that calling card for you."

Asuka watched him as he disappeared from her sight.

"Miss Tenjoin?"

Asuka turned her head and saw Benson standing beside her. He continued, "May I offer you a beverage?"

Asuka gave him a friendly smile. "Um, water would be fine please, thank you."

Benson nodded his head and left. Asuka sat down on the edge of the sofa. She looked at Tori. The girl's eyes were closed tight, and she kept on her mumbling.

"Tori," Asuka called, reaching out an inviting hand to her. "Come here Tori."

To her surprise, Tori opened one eye and tilted her head to look at her. Asuka brightened. "Come here, Tori! Sit with me!"

Slowly, she stopped her mumbling to stare at Asuka for a moment. Then, she ran toward her. "It's just a dream, Asuka-chan! Just a dream!" she yelled. She hugged Asuka tightly and began to mumble again. "Just a dream, just a dream, just a dream…"

"Is… is that what you've been saying?" Asuka asked, looking confused. Tori nodded. "Erm…" Asuka began, not knowing what else to say. _It must be a nightmare she had when she was at the hospital_, she thought. "It's going to be okay, Tori." She tried, but Tori only hugged her tighter, her murmurs now turning into nervous but fervent chants.

"It's just a dream! It's just a _dream_!"

* * *

Edo opened the door to his room. He slid open his closet and took out another silver suit jacket he had and wore it. Then he opened a drawer to reveal his collection of ties. He picked one of them to wear. He faced the full-length mirror to fix himself. Then he approached his desk and pulled the top drawer open.

"Let's see…" Edo muttered, looking through the mess of highlighters, pens, loose papers, and calling cards. Finally he spotted it, a black card with white letters. He took it and read the name of the contact.

_Saruyama Monki_.

The intercom on the side of his room crackled. "Master Phoenix," Benson began, "The surveillance cameras spotted three men in black suits destroying the security system at the gate," he paused, then said, "they're heading for the front door."

At this, a surge of adrenaline rose through Edo's veins. He knew what they were here for, and they weren't going to get her. Edo kept the card in his pocket and pressed a button on the intercom. "Get the yacht ready." He ordered.

"Yes, Master Phoenix," Benson replied, but Edo was already dashing down the stairs.

Asuka turned and saw Edo rushing down.

"Asuka, we need to go," Edo called, running over to her.

"Wh-What's wrong?" Asuka said, "Edo you're making me nervous."

There was a loud bang on the door. Asuka jumped with a start. "What's going on?" she asked, her heart beating fast.

Edo scooped up Tori in his arms. "Less talking, more running," he ordered, running to the opposite way of the front door. "Follow me!"

Loud thuds echoed throughout the house as the mysterious men worked to bust open the door. Tori whimpered. "It's happening, it's happening!" she screamed, starting to feel panic as well.

"Tori this isn't the time for this," Edo said, turning to the right. Asuka followed. Finally, a loud smash echoed throughout the halls, and Edo knew the men were already inside. He stopped as he approached the glass door. Tori was wailing in his arms. Edo struggled to punch in the code. "Tori-" Edo said, "—stop—stop it!"

Asuka ran to his side. "Here," she said, stretching out her arms, "I'll take her."

Edo handed Tori to her and faced the small machine again. He heard the footsteps of the men get louder and louder. Edo entered the code. The glass door slid open automatically. "Let's go," Edo said, heading for the pier. Asuka tailed behind him. Over the horizon, Edo could see his yacht started and ready, with Benson inside, waiting patiently for them. The sound of glass shattering came from behind them. Tori screamed. Edo looked behind him and saw the three men, in black suits, running after them. His glass door was now crystal shards on the floor.

Edo jumped into the yacht and turned with his hands outstretched. Asuka stopped and handed Tori to him, and carefully, Edo placed the child on the yacht. He turned back, his hands outstretched again. Asuka took his hand and placed one foot on the yacht. Gunshots blasted toward them. Everyone flinched instinctively.

"Oh my god," Asuka exclaimed, shaking in fright.

"C'mon, Asuka," Edo ushered. He turned his head to Benson. "Steer the yacht!" he shouted. Benson hurried inside. Edo faced Asuka and stepped on a small hump on the yacht. "Just jump! I'll catch you!"

Another barrage of gunshots. Edo saw the men drawing close. Asuka closed her eyes and jumped, screaming as she did so. She landed on Edo, who fell with her to the floor with a thud. Edo turned his head to Benson. "Benson! Go!" he yelled.

The yacht moved with an unpleasant jolt and sped away. Tori grabbed a hand bar. Edo and Asuka rolled and hit the edge. The men were at the dock now, standing on the edge and shooting in place.

"Right! Right! RIGHT!" Tori screamed, running over to Benson, "TURN RIGHT!" she tugged at his pants violently.

In panic, Benson spun the wheel, and the yacht sped to the right. Edo and Asuka were thrown to the left. The yacht tilted slightly. Boxes started sliding to one side. Tori hung on and screamed. Edo grabbed a bar with one hand and held Asuka tightly on the other. Benson spun the wheel the other direction to tilt the yacht back. Edo got up.

"Tori, that was _not_ funny!" Edo scolded, storming over to Tori. "Do you realize how dangerous that was?!"

Tori whimpered and cried. Suddenly, there was a loud explosion from outside. A huge wave sprung and splashed over them. Asuka watched in awe as the spot where they had turned now had silver shrapnel floating around.

"An explosive!" Asuka yelled, breathless, "I think they threw it at us!"

Edo stared at Tori in shock. Tori, rattled that Edo screamed at her, ran inside a room and shut the door, wailing and in tears. Asuka walked over to them.

"So," she panted, "where are we going?"

"Somewhere secluded," Edo answered, "But those men probably know all my property's locations, so right now, I really don't know where we can go."

Asuka, still panting, nodded her head in understanding. "I do," she declared, stepping forward to look at the map splayed in front of them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Alright, if we continue on our course, we should get there in a few minutes," Asuka said, staring intently at the map. She turned her head to Benson, who had not averted his gaze from the horizon.

"Understood, Miss Tenjoin," he replied, "I believe I got it from here."

Asuka nodded and stood up straight. "Okay then," she said. She looked behind her, wondering where Edo had gone. Over at the corner, Edo stood there, searching for something in the opened cabinet. "Excuse me, Benson," Asuka said. She walked over to Edo and tilted her head to take a peek inside the cabinet.

"What are you doing?" she asked naively.

"Looking for candy," Edo replied, moving aside the bag he had finished searching, "I know there's a lollipop bag here somewhere."

"_Lollipop bag?_" Asuka repeated with an arch of her brow.

"Yes," Edo said as-a-matter-of-factly. He pushed the first-aid kit aside and pulled out a small pouch that had been hidden from his sight. He took it and faced Asuka. "Lollipop bag," he said again, holding up the bright-green pouch.

Asuka took the pouch from Edo and unzipped it. Lollipops with different-colored wrappers, and lots of them. She zipped it back.

"Hm," she uttered, handing it back to Edo, "handy."

Edo nodded. "Especially when there's a kid you're trying to suck up to," He unzipped the pouch and took out a lollipop. Edo handed the pouch to Asuka and approached Tori's room. "Wish me luck," he said.

There was a knock on the door. After a split second, the door opened slowly. Edo peeked inside and saw a whimpering Tori lying in bed with her head buried on a pillow.

"Hey there, Tori," Edo said softly, "May I come in?"

She shook her head vigorously. Edo frowned. He stepped inside the room anyway, but just enough for Tori to see him.

"Well, that's a shame," he said sadly, "Who's going to eat this lollipop?"

Tori's whimpering stopped, but she kept her head down. Edo watched her as she slowly moved her head to take a peek at him. Edo looked away, feigning interest in the candy he was holding out.

"I don't like this flavor," he said, "so if no one's going to eat it, I guess I'm going to have to throw it." He paused, listening if Tori had gotten up. There were ruffling sounds behind him, and he smiled. "Oh well," Edo said, shrugging, "I guess I'll be going now." He opened the door and took a step forward—but felt a tug on his pants. He turned and saw Tori looking up at him in gray-eyed wonder. She brought out her hand.

"Do you want this candy?" Edo asked innocently. Tori nodded slowly. He frowned and looked away.

"I only give candies to people who like me." He looked at her again. Tori was trying her hardest not to smile, but the resulting expression looked contorted enough that anyone would mistake her for being constipated. Edo knelt down to level with her.

"I'm sorry, kiddo," he said, offering her the lollipop. "I shouldn't have snapped at you back there. Can we be friends again?"

She stared at him for a moment, then nodding vigorously, Tori grabbed the candy from Edo's hand and ran to her bed, giggling. Edo narrowed his eyes.

"Hey! Come back here, you little candy thief!" he ran after her and jumped to her bed, scooping Tori in his arms. She screamed playfully as Edo pulled her closer to him and tickled her lightly. Tori laughed, smacking him continuously with her lollipop. Edo laughed too, pinning her to the bed. He pulled up her shirt halfway and blew hard on her stomach. Tori screamed again, accompanied with childish laughter. The door opened and Asuka came in. She stared at them as they played, Tori pleading for him to stop and Edo mimicking a dinosaur roar as he continued to tickle her. Asuka giggled. _They're so cute,_ she thought, such a pleasant sight to see them play.

She cleared her throat. "Edo," she said. He stopped tickling Tori and looked at Asuka with a remnant smile on his face. "We're here," Asuka announced. Edo calmed himself for a bit before getting up and walking to her. He looked back at Tori.

"Put on your shoes and go outside, okay?" he requested.

"Okay!" she beamed.

Edo and Asuka walked out of the room. Closing the door, Asuka smiled and said, "So, I assume the candy plan worked."

Edo smirked. "Like a charm."

* * *

Asuka walked up to the cabin in front of her. She sighed as her childhood memories started brushing past her. On the front porch her younger self sat, writing eagerly on her diary the events that had transpired that day. A young Fubuki crept up behind her, carrying a pail of sand with his tiny hands. He grinned devilishly as he yelled, "Surprise!" and poured the sand over Asuka's hair. She screamed of course, and turned to scold her mischievous brother, who laughed maniacally at his sand-soaked sister. Another memory, on that swing on the tree beside the cabin: her mother pushing her as they laughed giddily, while the soft breeze blew their blonde hair.

"So," Edo began. Asuka looked to her side and saw Edo standing right beside her with his hands on his pockets. He was staring at the cabin as he said, "How are we going to get in here?"

"My brother was a trickster, to say the least," Asuka said, "but that is to our advantage now." She walked around the cabin, scanning the area for a crack on the wall. Edo followed behind her. Asuka continued, "When we were kids, Fubuki stole the spare key and hid it somewhere. My parents were outraged, but he never returned it. He thought it would be fun if the family could try to find it, like a treasure hunt. My parents just went ahead and bought another copy of the key." Asuka stopped as she saw a small crease on the wall. She counted her steps—one, two, three—and stomped on the floor. She moved her foot to the next wooden plank and stomped again. The sound it made was entirely different from the plank beside it. Asuka knelt down.

"I went ahead and tried to find it," she said, knocking on the wood just to make sure. She turned to Edo. "Does your yacht have a crowbar?"

Edo smirked. "My yacht has everything." He turned his head to the side. "Benson!" he called out.

Benson's voice was surprisingly near. "Sir?"

Asuka looked behind her and saw Benson close by, holding Tori's hand.

"Please get the toolbox out of the yacht," Edo said.

"Yes, Master Phoenix," Benson replied.

* * *

The door made a few rattling noises before the knob twisted and Asuka pushed it open. She smiled as she saw the familiar ornaments displayed throughout the living room. "Welcome to my family's cabin," Asuka said, "there's four rooms here: the master's room, Fubuki's room, my room, and a guest room. So we should be fine. Plus, the sofa in the living room can turn into an extra bed."

Edo looked around him. The cabin had a cozy feel to it. There were wooden animals on the ledge above the fire place in the living room. A medium-sized sofa was placed against the wall, facing the fire place. The dining table was of reasonable size for a family as big as the Tenjoins. A cupboard stood right against the wall behind the dining table. A number of plates, cups and bowls could be seen stored behind the glass opening. An entrance to the kitchen was right beside the cupboard. A long hallway stood in between the living room and the dining room, leading to the bedrooms.

Edo nodded approvingly. "I'm not gonna lie Asuka, this is pretty nice."

Benson walked in with a couple of bags in hand. Finally reaching the living room, he dropped them carefully on the ground. Asuka arched an eyebrow.

"When did you guys have time to pack?" she asked.

"We always have spare clothes in the yacht," Edo said, then continued, "We always have spare clothes, period."

Asuka rolled her eyes. By that, he meant that there were spare clothing in all his lake houses and cars, helicopters and cabins, airplanes and yachts. "Ah, the luxury of a pro," she muttered with a sigh.

"Pro _champ_," Edo corrected with a wink.

Asuka sighed again, this time frustratingly. "Let me show you the rooms, your Majesty."

Edo chuckled. "Well, I don't know about _your Majesty_," he said as he followed her down the hall, "but I could get used to that."

* * *

Everyone had finally settled. Benson stayed in the guestroom, Asuka in the master's room, Tori in Asuka's room, and Edo in Fubuki's. After improvising a bed time story so that Tori could sleep, Edo carried his bags and settled his things to the side of his room. He threw himself in bed and heaved a long, dragging sigh. He closed his eyes. It was quite a long day for him; after giving up a billion yen to gain back Tori, he had to rush the poor girl to the hospital for her injuries. And immediately after that, he was attacked again, in his own home, by men who were presumably working for the same person as the ones who kidnapped her. _If only I knew who I'm up against_, he thought, _then I could save Tori_. He made a promise to Mizuchi, the last time he saw her. She asked for him the day after her brother's incarceration.

_Edo_, she said, _Things are going to get dangerous very soon. Please accept whatever destiny brings you, and protect what's yours, at all costs._

Of course. Cryptic messages from the Saiou family. And of course he agreed. Mizuchi died shortly after their talk, and out came the will notifying the lawyer of his living inheritance. Lately, that's all he's been doing: protecting her daughter at all costs. Her daughter, who was now legally his. Protecting what's _his._

_I'm not ready for this, Mizuchi_, he said silently, hoping for a whispered answer back. Nothing. Slowly, Edo opened his eyes. A huge poster of a voluptuous, naked young brunette was plastered on the ceiling, with her hands holding her D-breasts up in offering.

"Shit!" Edo got up, his heart racing fast. "Asuka!"

Seconds later, his door flew open and Asuka came inside. "Edo? What's wrong?"

Edo pointed up at the ceiling. "This is sick!" his face was bright red. His suit suddenly felt too hot for him to wear. "Your brother is a pervert! I can't sleep here with that… _thing_ up there!"

Asuka looked at him curiously. She tilted her head up, and grinned. "Oh… I almost forgot about that."

Edo folded his arms and turned away. How he wished his face would stop blushing. "So this is how your brother sleeps at night? By looking at these women?"

Asuka giggled as she approached the bed. "Relax, Edo. She's just a poster. She doesn't bite." She took off her shoes and stepped on the bed.

Edo grumbled. "I suppose the drawers don't have-" he opened the bedside drawer. Magazines. With naked women on the front cover. And lots of them. He closed the drawer shut. "—of course he does. I don't suppose these sheets have been washed?"

"Of course they've been washed," Asuka said, taking out the last of the tape before she got back down. She sat beside Edo as she folded the poster. "Would it make you feel better if you slept somewhere else, your Majesty?"

"Yes, but—it's alright. I'll manage."

Asuka giggled. "You sure?"

Edo's response was a long, hesitant yes. Asuka nodded slowly, settling the folded poster to the side.

"So," she began, her tone sounding quite unsure, "Mind telling me what's going on here?"

Edo turned his head to her. She was looking at him with concerned eyes. She continued, "Those men that were chasing us… what were they after?"

"_Who_ were they after," Edo corrected, looking at the ground, "And it's Tori."

Asuka furrowed her eyebrows. "Tori? But why?"

"I wish I knew," Edo said, looking defeated. "Mizuchi didn't tell me anything. Just that I had to protect her daughter, no matter what."

Asuka placed her hand on his shoulder. "Hey. You have been so far. Don't be too hard on yourself."

Edo's fists tightened. "Yeah. But if this keeps up, I don't know how long I can keep that promise."

Asuka frowned. She took the poster from her side and got up. "Well, just keep your head up. Get some rest and we'll see what we can do tomorrow."

Edo looked up at her and smiled back. "Thank you, Asuka."

She headed for the door. "Sleep well, your Majesty," she said before exiting the room.

* * *

It wasn't the room that was bothering him anymore. The poster had been taken down hours ago, and the magazines—well, it stayed inside the drawers, and Edo made a mental note to himself never to touch it again. But there was something in his mind that kept him from getting some rest. Who exactly was he up against? Edo sighed. He needed some answers. And for the sake of Tori's safety, he needed them soon. Edo turned to his side, gazing at the door. A shadow brushed past his room. He got up. Was someone out to get Tori again? Edo jumped out of bed, put on his shoes, and walked quietly toward the door.

He crept down the hallway as silently as he could, all the while looking around him to see if there was anything suspicious. Finally, he saw a figure standing outside—Asuka, thank god, not one of those nasty men in black suits. Edo breathed out his worries away, and walked up to her.

"Can't sleep?"

Asuka looked behind her and saw Edo, with his arms crossed, looking back at her. She turned her head to look back at the horizon. "Just reminiscing," she said. Edo stood beside her. He raised his eyebrows at the magnificent moonlit view. The ghostly light enveloped the entire scene. The stars up above twinkled brightly in the night sky—Edo had never seen so much stars before. Out in the horizon flew tiny spots of light, grazing past the flowers and trees. Fireflies. They looked quite busy, flying around the bushes near the ocean. But Edo felt a sense of calm as he stared at them.

"This is beautiful," Edo said.

Asuka smiled. "I know." She stared at the fireflies longingly. "My brother and I used to catch fireflies when we were little. I would never forget always catching a bunch of them with both hands and just sit there, hoping that my hand will glow, too, just like their tails," She chuckled at the memory. "But of course, it never does. There was never enough light."

Edo turned his head to face her. Asuka looked saddened now. "Ryo and I… we did it too," she began. Edo listened to her story intently. Asuka continued, "He would come here with us. He was Fubuki's best friend. And he would catch fireflies with me." Her eyes looked downcast. "We… always did fun things together."

There was a moment of silence. Edo felt it—Asuka's pain—from the way she looked, the way she talked about it, the way she sighed and crossed her arms together to embrace herself. Her pain was so strong, and he had this overwhelming urge to take it all away.

"You really miss him, don't you?" he asked. Her face had a readable expression of utter sadness.

"Yes, I do," she said, "He was really something to me."

Edo tried to smile for her, an empathetic warmth of a smile. "Something… special?"

She paused for a second, before saying, "Yeah. Something special." She put her hands down and held her other arm closer to her. An insecure gesture, Edo knew. He took her by the hand. Asuka stared at him, shocked. Edo had a determined and optimistic look on his face.

"Let's catch some fireflies."

She was still recovering from shock. Without warning, he ran, dragging Asuka with him.

"Edo!" she called. He ignored her, running toward the fireflies. As they got close enough, he let her go and reached out for one. The firefly flew away as Edo's hand attempted to swipe at it. "Ugh, so close!" he said.

Asuka stared at him curiously as he continued his pursuit—and constant failure. A smile crept across her face. She ran after a couple of fireflies, reaching out to catch them too. Asuka laughed, managing to catch one on her first try.

"If only the pro leagues were about firefly catching," she remarked.

Edo looked at her crossly. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Asuka presented her closed hand at him and opened it, releasing the firefly she had trapped in her hand. "It means exactly what it means," she said arrogantly, "I'm totally going to be the champion."

Edo smirked. "Well, it isn't. So don't even bother extending your little fantasy, because whichever way you look at it, _I'm_ still the best."

Asuka gasped. "You jerk!" she said with a laugh. She pushed him playfully on the shoulder.

"I only speak the truth," Edo declared. Asuka narrowed her eyes. She ran around, catching one firefly after another. Then, after trapping a few, she approached Edo and released them all right at his face.

"Hey!" Edo flailed his hands in front of his face vigorously as the fireflies flew at him altogether. Asuka pointed and laughed. Edo grunted, shaking his head vigorously to ward off the flies. Finally the fireflies cleared. Edo glared at Asuka.

"Oh, it's on," he said, and dashed toward her. Asuka yelled, turning her heel to run away. Their screams and laughter echoed through the night, as Edo ran to catch her. Asuka looked behind her, and Edo was a few inches away. She turned her head to where she was running and sped up. Grinning devilishly, Edo jumped. He grabbed Asuka and she screamed as they both fell to the ground. They rolled downhill, laughing uncontrollably until finally, they stopped by the bushes.

Both of them stared at each other as they panted heavily. Their laughter eventually faded, and all that was left was the two of them smiling and panting. Asuka pushed him away.

"You idiot," she said, lying on her back to stare at the stars. Edo did the same.

"I didn't want to see you sad," he admitted, still trying to calm himself, "That smile of yours—and that laugh—it's nice," after a pause to catch his breath, he continued, "You shouldn't dwell on the past too much, Asuka."

Asuka smirked. Still staring at the stars, she said, "Is that what you tell the ladies? Their smile and laugh are nice?"

Edo laughed again. He sighed, placing his arms behind him and resting the back his head on his hands. "It works, doesn't it?"

Asuka rolled her eyes, but kept her smile. "Sure, Edo. Sure it does."

He turned his head to face her. "Seriously though," he said, "don't think that there's no more good days. There's a lot more where that came from."

Asuka didn't answer him, but she silently agreed. It was comforting to hear, from someone like him, that there was still hope to look forward to. For a while, they stayed like that, staring at the stars together, surrounded with a comforting silence. Asuka looked at him. Edo's eyes were closed. She watched him as his chest rose and fell steadily. He had fallen asleep, with a smile on his face. Asuka looked back at the stars, and slowly, she too closed her eyes and drifted off to another pleasant dream.


End file.
